This is a 2014 photo of shortstop Deven Marrero of the Boston Red Sox baseball team. This image reflects the Red Sox active roster as of Sunday, Feb. 23, 2014 when this image was taken. (AP Photo/Steven Senne)

JUPITER, Fla. -- Deven Marrero is 22, with barely more than a year of minor league experience. He got a chance to start at shortstop for the Boston Red Sox on Thursday. And he stole the show.

Marrero went 2-for-4 at the plate, but that was hardly noticeable in a 0-0 game against the Miami Marlins that was called in the eighth inning due to rain. At about 6-foot-1, 195 pounds, Marrero isn't typically opening eyes with his bat (he has four career home runs).

His glove, though, was spectacular, bringing back memories of Jose Iglesias by making a leaping catch, a diving stop to his right, a strong throw from a part of the grass the left-fielder usually covers and double-play turn in which his body was, at one point, horizontally parallel with the ground.

"My gosh, he put on a display defensively," Red Sox manager John Farrell marveled. "A couple of good at-bats, but range up the middle was outstanding. I thought the double play that he was able to turn was probably as acrobatic as anything we saw from him today."

With Stephen Drew still un-signed, Xander Bogaerts the every-day shortstop and Jonathan Herrera and Brock Holt the only back-ups, Marrero could find himself in the major leagues as soon as 2014 should Bogaerts have to miss time.

"Not comparing (Marrero) to Jose, but if the need were to arise, based on what we showed last year, even in his first year of professional baseball and the way he goes about his drill work and what we see on the field, you'd be hard-pressed to find a shortstop that's going to make better plays than that," Farrell said. "And four or five types of plays inside a given game. He came to the draft with that calling card, an elite defender, and he's showing that."

While he hasn't shown consistent offensive ability yet -- he's hit .258 with a .684 OPS throughout his minor league career thus far -- Marrero seems to do all the little things that can help a baseball player excel through the system.

He has plate discipline: 86 walks to 124 strikeouts.

He has speed: 51-for-59 (86 percent) in stolen-base attempts.

He can play defense: on display Thursday.

The Arizona State University alum is often compared to Dustin Pedroia, and not just because they went to the same school. The Red Sox have tremendous faith in Marrero just as they did (and currently do) in Bogaerts.

The big leagues might not be that far away.

"Look at Xander Bogaerts last year," Marrero said. "Drake Britton, Brandon Workman -- it shows (the Red Sox) want to develop their minor league players. And when they make it to the big leagues they know they’re going to perform because they know that they were ready. So when my time comes it’s going to come. I’ll be ready for it and I’m going to try my hardest every day and do what I can do and let the rest take care of itself."